This vegan teriyaki stir-fry has tender-crisp "grilled" vegetables and golden tofu topped with a sweet and savoury teriyaki sauce and served on a bed of steamed rice.

Customize your bowl based on your tastes and the ingredients you have on hand. You can make it as healthy, simple, or as deluxe as you like! Swap the fried tofu for shelled edamame, use any stir-fry type vegetables you happen to have in the fridge, and serve it on top of steamed rice or noodles.

This vegan teriyaki recipe is inspired by Edo Japan, a Canadian teppanyaki-style fast food chain, famous for its super-secret, mild-yet-delicious teriyaki sauce. It's a great meal to suit a variety of tastes. Garnish your vegan teriyaki bowl with some toasted sesame seeds or add a squirt of sriracha or a spoonful of sambal oelek to kick it up a notch.

Easy Teriyaki-Style Sauce

To make the vegan teriyaki sauce, you'll need soy sauce, brown sugar (or your favourite unrefined sweetener), water, minced garlic, a knob of ginger, and cornstarch.

Edo's teriyaki sauce is sweet, mild, and light. This sauce is very similar, with the addition of garlic and a touch of ginger for a little extra oomph.

"Grilled" Vegetables (Without a Teppan Grill)

Edo grills their vegetables on a flat teppan grill and then covers them, steaming them until they're just cooked. Your average home kitchen probably isn't equipped with a teppan but you can prepare “grilled-ish” vegetables by searing and steaming them. Heat a very small amount of oil in a pan over high heat. Add the vegetables and sear them to brown the edges before tossing them. Cover your pan and let the vegetables steam (stirring and adjusting the heat as needed) until they’re tender-crisp.

Stir-Fry Vegetables

For Edo's style of “grilled” vegetable teriyaki, I start with broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and shaved cabbage. For convenience, you can avoid shaving the cabbage and use a bag of coleslaw instead.

Stir-fries are a great place to use up whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand. Swap in your favourite veggies or whatever you need to use up before your next grocery shop. Snow peas, bok choy, bell peppers, asparagus, and celery are great additions to this vegetable teriyaki.

Pan-Frying Medium (Traditional) Tofu

Most of our tofu recipes recommend choosing firm or extra-firm tofu for stir-fries because it's sturdy and easy to cook with. You can get away with stir-frying firm tofu and vegetables at the same time without the tofu breaking apart.

Medium (or “traditional”) tofu is a lot more delicate than firm tofu, but it's incredible when it's fried. Fried medium tofu is light and airy, crispy on the outside, and soft and silky on the inside. The airy texture creates lots of nooks and crannies to pick up sauces and marinades. It's a great choice for saucy stir-fries, red and green Thai curries, or as a vegan "egg" (scrambled or in a patty for vegan breakfast sandwiches).

Don’t press the tofu or you’ll lose the light, airy texture. Instead of pressing it, use a clean kitchen towel to pat away any excess moisture. Medium tofu holds a lot of water so it’ll spit and sizzle when you first add it to the pan.

What to do when tofu sticks to the pan:

Sometimes tofu sticks to the pan, even if you’re pan-frying and using plenty of oil. If you try to flip it with force it'll tear and break apart.

Patience is all you need to manage stuck tofu. Once the tofu has developed a crisp edge, it will release from the pan easily. If your tofu is sticking, it hasn’t developed a crisp crust and it’s not ready to be flipped. If you give the tofu a firm nudge and it doesn’t move, stop and try again in another minute or so.

You can help prevent tofu from sticking by ensuring that you’re cooking over high enough heat, and by patting the tofu dry before frying it.

More ways to prepare tofu for this dish:

Fried crispy coated firm tofu, (like the kind in our Garlicky Cashew Broccoli & Tofu Stir-fry), is chewy and crisp, and the coating picks up plenty of sauce.

Baked tofu, (like our Baked Sriracha and Soy Sauce Tofu), is chewy,flavourful, and easy to prepare.

Store-bought marinated tofu doesn’t need much preparation at all. It's flavourful and deeply golden-brown around the edges, with a firm, smooth, slightly chewy texture. Chop it up and microwave it or add it to the pan with the vegetables to heat it before serving.

Other vegan protein options:

Fried or baked tempeh, seitan, and store-bought vegan "meats" (like chick’n strips or tenders) are great alternatives to tofu in this recipe. For a lighter and easier meal, use shelled edamame.

Vegan Teriyaki Serving Suggestions

Serve the tender-crisp vegetables and tofu on a bed of steamed jasmine rice or noodles. Ramen noodles or rice noodles are both quick and easy options. Top with as many spoonfuls of teriyaki sauce as you like and add your choice of garnishes.

Toppings

• toasted sesame seeds
• sriracha
• sambal oelek
• crushed chili flakes
• sliced green onion

Vegetable Teriyaki with Tofu

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Brittany Mueller
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Lunch and Dinner
• Method: Stir-fry
• Cuisine: Vegan

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Description

This vegan teriyaki stir-fry has tender-crisp "grilled" vegetables and golden tofu topped with a sweet and savoury teriyaki sauce and served on a bed of steamed rice.

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (270 grams) jasmine rice, uncooked
• 2 cups (500 ml) water
• 350 grams medium/traditional tofu, (cut into ¾” thick triangles)
• Canola oil, for frying
• Optional toppings: toasted sesame seeds, sriracha, sambal oelek, and/or crushed red chili flakes

Teriyaki Sauce

• 1 ¼ cups (315 ml) water, divided
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
• 3 tbsp (35 grams) brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼” (¾ cm) slice of fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch

Vegetables

• ½ tbsp (7.5 ml) canola oil
• 2 cups (200 grams) broccoli florets
• 1 cup (135 grams) sliced carrot (approx. 2 medium carrots)
• ½ cup (60 grams) sliced celery (approx. 1 stalk)
• 1 ½ cups (130 grams) thick-sliced cremini mushrooms (approx. 5 large)
• 1 ½ cups (110 grams) coleslaw/shaved cabbage

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Instructions

Rice:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions.

OR

1. Rinse rice thoroughly. Combine rice and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Stir, cover, and turn heat down to low. Cook for 10 minutes. Turn heat off and let rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Teriyaki Sauce:

1. In a small dish, stir together ¼ cup (60 ml) water and cornstarch to make a slurry.
2. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup (250 ml) water, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, and sliced ginger. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch slurry and turn heat down to a simmer. Cook, whisking as needed, until the teriyaki sauce is translucent and reaches your desired consistency. Remove ginger slice, taste, and adjust seasoning to taste with soy sauce or water. If necessary, cook longer to further adjust consistency. Set teriyaki sauce aside until ready to serve.

Pan-Fried Tofu:

1. Pat tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
2. In a large skillet/frying pan, add enough canola oil to pan-fry the tofu (about ¼ “ or 1 cm). Heat oil over medium/medium-high heat.
3. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the tofu and cook until golden brown. Flip tofu with tongs and cook the other side. Drain tofu on a cooling rack or paper towel. Safely discard frying oil.

Vegetables:

1. Heat canola oil over high heat.
2. Add the broccoli florets and cook without stirring until lightly seared with brown bits around the edges. Stir, cooking for approximately 2 minutes total. Add carrot and celery and cook for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned but not fully cooked, about 2 minutes. Add coleslaw, stir, and cover. Steam vegetables until they’re tender-crisp, approximately 2 minutes. (Adjust cooking times based on the size of the vegetable.)

Serving:

1. Serve tofu and vegetables on a bed of rice. Spoon teriyaki sauce over the tofu and vegetables, to taste. Optional: Top with toasted sesame seeds, sriracha, sambal oelek, or crushed red chili flakes.

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Notes

If your tofu stick to the pan while cooking, do not try to flip it forcefully. Wait a minute or so and give it another nudge. Once the tofu develops a crisp crust it will release from the pan easily.

Using up leftover teriyaki sauce: Shake or whisk the chilled teriyaki sauce vigorously before using.

Keywords: vegan teriyaki stir fry, vegetable teriyaki stir fry, tofu teriyaki stir fry

The post Vegetable Teriyaki with Tofu appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

This vegan mushroom gravy is deep, flavourful, and luscious. Sliced cremini mushrooms, minced onion and garlic, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and miso make this vegan gravy hearty and robust.

Pour this easy vegan mushroom gravy over Tofurky Roast, lentil loaf, mashed potatoes, vegetable stuffing, or holiday smashed potatoes. Use up leftovers in a holiday shepherd's pie!

What kind of mushrooms are best for vegan gravy?

White button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and portobellos are all the same variety of mushroom but at different states of maturity.

White button mushrooms, the youngest of the bunch, are pale and tender with mild flavour. When thin-sliced and cooked, white buttons tend to lose their shape and fall apart.

Cremini mushrooms are a little more mature than white button mushrooms. They're still small, but they have brown skins (with white flesh) and a firm, sturdy texture.

Portobellos are fully mature. They're large, open-capped, and have a hearty, meaty texture, and robust flavour. Due to their large size, they need to cut down to make this vegan gravy.

The middle-aged Cremini mushrooms are just right. Their small size, contrasting colours, and hearty texture make them ideal for making vegan mushroom gravy. They hold a clean shape even after cooking, resulting in a gravy that tastes great and looks appealing.

Feel free to experiment with different varieties of mushrooms.

Vegan Holiday Recipes to Pair with Mushroom Gravy

• How to Cook a Tofurky Roast
• The Ultimate Thanksgiving Loaf (with Cranberry Glaze)
• Vegan Vegetable Walnut Stuffing
• Roasted Vegan Thanksgiving Bowl
• Thanksgiving-Style Vegan Smashed Potatoes
• Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Brittany Mueller
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 3 cups
• Category: Sauces
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Vegan

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Description

This vegan mushroom gravy is deep, flavourful, and luscious. Sliced cremini mushrooms, minced onion and garlic, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and miso make this vegan gravy hearty and robust.

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Ingredients

• 4 tbsp (60 ml) vegan butter or canola/olive oil
• ¼ cup (40 grams) minced onion (approx. ¼ onion)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups (230 grams - 1 small package) sliced cremini or white button mushrooms (approx. 12 mushrooms)
• 3 tbsp (35 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth
• ½ cup (125 ml) water
• 1 ½ tbsp (23 ml) soy sauce
• 1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml) white (shiro) miso, (optional)
• Black pepper, to taste
• Fresh or dried thyme, to taste (optional)

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Instructions

1. If using, mix miso with a little bit of the vegetable broth to smooth out any lumps.
2. Heat vegan butter or oil over medium heat. Once the butter is hot, add the minced onion and garlic. Cook until the onion appears translucent (about 2 minutes).
3. Add the sliced mushrooms and stir, cooking until the mushrooms are just soft (about 3 minutes).
4. Add the flour and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. It's normal for the flour to stick to the bottom of the pot and begin to brown.
5. Slowly and gradually stir in the vegetable broth and water. If the liquid is added too quickly the gravy will have lumps in it. Avoid whisking in the liquid to avoid breaking up the mushroom slices. If necessary, scrape any bits of flour or vegetables off of the bottom of the pot as you add the liquid.
6. Stir in the soy sauce and miso.
7. Simmer until the gravy reaches your desired consistency (3-5 minutes). The gravy will thicken as it cools to a comfortable temperature for eating. Thin with water if needed.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning with black pepper and thyme.

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Notes

Fore best results, cremini mushrooms are recommended. White button or portobello mushrooms will work just fine but won't look as appealing.

Store in refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.

Keywords: vegan gravy, vegan mushroom gravy

The post Vegan Mushroom Gravy appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Dipping and drizzling roasted Creamer potatoes in a spicy vegan queso makes for a lovely appetizer that’s perfect for parties and game days. This simple but hearty vegan appetizer is ready in 30 minutes.

Little potatoes are a welcome addition to any get-together where packaged snacks, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages tend to be a focus. They’re a nutritious whole food vehicle for the rich and creamy vegan queso and a heartier alternative to tortilla chips.

For this recipe we’ll keep it simple and let the earthy flavour and creamy texture of Little potatoes shine. Halve your favourite varietal of Little potatoes (see them all on their Products page), toss them with olive oil and sea salt, and roast them for 25 minutes. Stunning varietals such as Blushing Belle, Something Blue, or Terrific Trio will offer a pop of colour and striking contrast against the queso.

Making Vegan "Queso"

The vegan queso is smooth and silky with flecks of spicy jalapeño. It’s perfect for drizzling or dipping roasted Creamer potatoes. A truly loaded vegan queso is great too! But all those diced ingredients make it difficult to drizzle. And if you’re dipping, they’ll roll right off those round Little potatoes! A smooth and silky vegan queso works best here.

A few tweaks turn your cashew-based queso into something more mysterious. A weak roux, vegan butter and cheese, non-dairy milk, and pickled jalapeño brine softens the cashew’s nutty flavour while enhancing their creamy texture.

The vegan queso is ready in 15 minutes or less. You’ll need to use a blender and a saucepan but they pay off is well worth it. Sauté onion and garlic in vegan butter until fragrant and translucent. After that, transfer the onion and garlic to a blender. Add the non-dairy milk, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend on "high" for an ultra smooth and silky consistency. Add the pickled jalapeños and juice, and blitz briefly to chop them up.

Going back to the pot that you sautéed in, heat remaining butter and whisk in a little flour to make a roux. Slowly whisk the blended mixture into the roux. Add the cheese and stir constantly until melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning to suit your preference.

Pickled jalapeños and their brine add a spicy kick and a punch of acidity. For a spicy queso, choose any jar of hot jalapeños. For something with subtle heat, look for “tamed” pickled jalapeños.

How to Serve Vegan Queso and Roasted Creamer Potatoes

You can serve this Little potato and vegan queso appetizer in two ways. Choose whichever suits the guests and occasion better! Serve the potatoes plated, drizzled with queso, and sprinkled with fresh chives or cilantro for garnish. Or serve them fondue-style with skewers or appetizer forks and a dish of vegan queso for dipping. If you happen to have a fondue pot, this is a great time to use it. Serve the vegan queso hot and keep it warm for best texture.

More Vegan Potato Appetizers

You might enjoy our Crispy Potatoes with Garlic Lemon Avocado Aioli, Crispy Potatoes with Vegan Ranch, Vegan Double-Stuffed Buffalo Ranch Potatoes, Spicy Nacho Potato Bites, or Two-Bite Vegan Baked Potatoes!

This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company.

We love them for their commitment to simple, healthy whole foods like their delicious Creamer potatoes. Thanks for supporting the brands that support I Love Vegan!Head over to Littlepotatoes.com for hundreds of great recipes, lots of Little potato love, and a super handy store locator for Where to Buy!

Vegan Chile con Queso Potatoes

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Brittany Mueller
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Roasting, Blending
• Cuisine: Vegan

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Description

Roasted Creamer potatoes served with a rich and cheesy jalapeño vegan “queso”. The vegan cashew queso is smooth and silky. Ready in 30 minutes!

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Ingredients

Roasted Little potatoes:

• 1 (1.5-pound) (680 g) bag Blushing Belle Little Potatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) sea salt

Vegan Chile con “Queso”:

• ¼ cup (60 ml) vegan butter, divided
• ¼ onion (50 g), chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 ¾ cups (435 ml) unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 1 cup (135 grams) raw cashews
• ½ cup (125 ml) water
• 3 tbsp (15 g) nutritional yeast
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
• ⅓ cup (125 ml) *pickled jalapeños and liquid (see note)
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (67 g) vegan cheese

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Instructions

Roasted Little potatoes:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In a large bowl, stir together halved Little potatoes, olive oil, and sea salt.
3. Spread seasoned Little potatoes on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until Little potatoes and tender and golden-brown.

Vegan Chile con “Queso”:

1. In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoon of vegan butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent and fragrant but not browned.
2. Transfer the sautéed onions, garlic, and butter into a blender. Add non-dairy milk, cashews, water, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the pickled jalapeños and brine to the blended mixture. Pulse to chop the jalapeños. Do not over blend.
4. In the saucepan used in step one, heat the remaining 2 tablespoon of vegan butter over medium heat. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour to make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
5. Slowly whisk the blended cashew mixture into the roux.
6. Add the vegan cheese to the sauce and whisk until melted.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning. If needed, adjust consistency with a splash of water or non-dairy milk.

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Notes

*Choosing pickled jalapeños: For a mild vegan queso, look for "tamed" pickled jalapeños. (Optional: increase "tamed" jalapeños and liquid to ½ cup.)

To make loaded vegan queso, add a can of Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies after melting the cheese.

Nutrition information is for ⅙ of the potatoes (approx. 10 pieces) and ¼ cup of vegan queso.

Vegan queso recipe makes 3 ⅓ cups. Refrigerate leftover vegan queso for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add a splash of non-dairy milk or water to thin (if needed).

Keywords: vegan queso, roasted potatoes

The post Vegan Queso Potatoes (Chile con "Queso") appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

This Spinach, Avocado and Marinated Tofu Salad recipe was originally published on March 13th, 2013. After noticing more people visiting this recipe we decided to update it and repost it on August 30, 2019.

This new and improved version of our Spinach, Avocado and Marinated Tofu Salad features fresh new images, and updated recipe, nutrition info, and a new dressing. The original recipe called for a simple "dressing" of soy sauce and sesame oil. We've stuck to that theme but upgraded it to a creamy toasted soy & sesame dressing. We’ve doubled the marinated tofu portion of the recipe but otherwise kept it the same.

We included the original image at the end of the post to jog your memory if you think you've made this recipe before.

We topped this hearty salad of baby spinach, marinated tofu, avocado, carrot, cucumber, red bell pepper, green onion with a creamy toasted sesame and soy dressing.

This is a great meal to pack for work or school lunches (just pack the dressing on the side). Add some cooked brown rice to turn this salad into a filling vegan lunch bowl. A single serving, made as is, contains 15 grams of plant-based protein (scroll to the end for complete nutrition information.)

Feel free to swap ingredients in and out. I love adding to or swapping the spinach with romaine lettuce for a crunchier salad.

Inspired by the flavours of gomae, a Japanese spinach salad, this toasted sesame and soy dressing is blended and contains cashews for a creamy finish. This versatile dressing is perfect for rice noodle salads, vegan lunch bowls, summer rolls, and stir-fries.

The marinated tofu in this recipe remains the same as before: a simple marinade of soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, and garlic. You can choose to bake or sauté the tofu. Baking takes a little longer but it's more hands-off and uses less oil. Sautéing is quicker, but its uses more oil and requires more hands-on supervision.

As with any marinated tofu recipe, you’ll enjoy the best flavour if you press your tofu first. I’m not a fan of typical pressing methods, they tend to take a while or they don’t work that well. I usually use my “quick pressing method” from my very old “4 Part Tofu Tutorial”. Slice a block of extra-firm tofu into 8 slices and lay them on a clean folded kitchen towel. Top with a second folded kitchen towel and add pressure to draw out excess moisture. Place a cutting board on top and weight it with some heavy things, (cookbooks, cast-iron bakeware, nesting bowls, etc.) for 30 minutes or so. If you're in a hurry you can quickly press some moisture out of the tofu with your hands.

Tofu Pressing Tip (for my fellow cooks with cats and dogs in house):

Pet hair is a fact of life and sometimes kitchen towels aren't 100% fur-free. You can use paper towel to press tofu but you'll need to use a lot of it. Instead, use the kitchen towel method but add a single piece of paper towel wrapped around the tofu. With this method, paper towel is a barrier between the tofu while the kitchen towel absorbs moisture. This ensures that you don’t add any undesired “ingredients” to your tofu with minimal waste.

Alternatively, you can buy a tofu press! It's like a little vice that evenly adds pressure to press excess moisture from a block of tofu.

This marinade is rich enough that you CAN skip the marinating if you’re looking to save time. In this case I’ll whip up the tofu first and let it marinate briefly while I preheat my oven or skillet and prepare the dressing and vegetables. After that, use up remaining marinade in the cooking process. If baking, top the tofu with any leftover marinade before baking. If sautéing, add remaining marinade near the end of the cooking process and cook until it’s absorbed.

Marinated Tofu, Avocado, and Spinach Salad with Creamy Toasted Sesame & Soy Dressing

★★★★★ 4.9 from 13 reviews

• Author: brittany mueller
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Lunch & Dinner, Main Course, Salad
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Vegan

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Description

A hearty salad of baby spinach, marinated tofu, avocado, carrot, cucumber, red bell pepper, green onion with a creamy toasted sesame and soy dressing.

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Ingredients

Marinated Tofu:

• 1 block (350g) firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into small squares
• 2 tbsp (30ml) low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp (30ml) water
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp (10ml) sriracha (more or less to your preference)
• 1 tsp (5ml) sesame oil
• (Optional, for sautéing) 1 tablespoon (15ml) canola oil (or other neutral-tasting vegetable oil)

Creamy Toasted Sesame & Soy Dressing:

• 3-4 tablespoon (45-60ml) low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup (60ml) raw cashews
• ¼ cup (60ml) water
• 3 tbsp (45ml) toasted sesame seeds, divided
• 2 tbsp (30ml) canola oil
• 2 tsp (10ml) sugar
• 2 tsp (10ml) rice wine vinegar

Spinach, Avocado, and Marinated Tofu Salad:

• 8 large handfuls of baby spinach
• 1 carrot, grated
• ½ cucumber, halved and sliced
• ½ red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 2 stalks green onion, sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp (30ml) toasted sesame seeds

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Instructions

Toasting sesame seeds:

1. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and cook, stirring often until golden-brown and fragrant. Do not leave unattended.

Marinated Tofu:

1. For optimal flavour, press tofu to draw out excess moisture. Check out our tutorial on draining and pressing tofu for a quick and easy method.
2. Combine marinade ingredients. Add cubed tofu. Stir to coat. Marinate for 1 hour (stirring halfway through). If you're in a hurry, you can skip this step.
3. Baking Instructions: (Uses less oil, slower method) Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread tofu out in a single layer with no pieces touching. Top with remaining marinade. Bake for 20 minutes (or until tofu is crisp on the outside and tender inside.)
4. Skillet Instructions: (Uses more oil, faster method) Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium-high heat. Add marinated tofu cubes (reserving excess marinade) and cook, turning tofu as needed, until all sides are golden-brown and crisp on all sides. Stir in remaining marinade and cook until marinade cooks down and coats the tofu.
5. Chill tofu.

Creamy Toasted Sesame & Soy Dressing:

1. Set aside half of the sesame seeds. Combine remaining ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add remaining sesame seeds and stir. Chill in refrigerator.

Assembling salad:

1. In a large bowl, add 2 handfuls of spinach. Top with grated carrot, sliced cucumber, red bell pepper, avocado, and green onion. Add ¼ of the chilled marinated tofu. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with extra toasted sesame seeds.

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Keywords: marinated tofu, tofu salad, vegan sesame dressing

The post Marinated Tofu, Avocado, and Spinach Salad with Creamy Toasted Sesame & Soy Dressing appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

This Tahini Goddess Dressing is inspired by The Chopped Leaf’s goddess dressing. My version includes fresh herbs making it taste a little more fresh and flavourful.

This Tahini Goddess Dressing gets its creaminess from tahini and a touch of olive oil. The punchy flavour comes from a blend of fresh herbs (dill, parsley, and chives), lemon juice and garlic. A touch of sesame oil and soy sauce adds umami, making this dressing incredibly flavourful.

This simple dressing takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. Many of the ingredients are pantry staples. You could easily get away with dried herbs and bottled lemon juice if you needed to.

Tahini is widely available in most grocery stores. Sometimes it can still be difficult to track down (depending on the store you’re shopping at.) I buy mine from Superstore, our go-to grocery store. I buy mine from the “ethnic aisle”. I’ve also found it in the natural food aisle but it’s far more expensive there. The tahini found in ethnic grocers or ethnic food aisles are typically cheaper than those found in natural food sections. (Budget tip: the same goes for coconut oil!) As a last resort, I’ve also seen tahini in the same section as the nut butters, but again, it's usually more expensive there.

This dressing doesn’t have an overwhelming tahini flavour. The olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, fresh herbs, sesame oil and soy sauce really rounds out the flavour. The end result tastes creamy, and tangy and delicious. It's hard to pinpoint the tahini as a major flavour. It just tastes really really good, you know? (Head on down to recipe notes if you really don't like tahini though...)

This Tahini Goddess Dressing goes with anything and everything. We’ve enjoyed it on salads, power bowls, and in wraps. It’d also be perfect in sandwiches, with crudite or chips, or on roasted or steamed veggies. This week I’ll share a bowl recipe where this dressing is oh-so good. In the meantime, this Vegan Tahini Goddess Dressing would be the perfect topping for our Roasted Veggie Quinoa Bowl (one of our most popular and loved recipes!)

Our next recipe will be a copycat version of The Chopped Leaf’s No. 2 Bowl, using this Tahini Goddess Dressing. Watch out for that one later this week!

Vegan Tahini Goddess Dressing

★★★★★ 4.5 from 10 reviews

• Author: Brittany Mueller
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup
• Category: Dips and Sauces, Lunch and Dinner
• Cuisine: Vegan

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Description

This Tahini Goddess Dressing gets its punchy flavour from fresh herbs, lemon juice, garlic, and a touch of sesame oil and soy sauce. This creamy and tangy dressing is a great addition to a variety of meals. Add it to salads, wraps, sandwiches, and power bowls (like our Roasted Veggie Quinoa Bowl).

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup (60ml) tahini
• ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
• 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
• 3 tbsp (45ml) water
• 1 tbsp (15ml) soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp (15ml) finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbsp (15ml) finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 tbsp (15ml) finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp (5ml) sesame oil
• ¼ tsp (1.25ml) salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning to suit your liking.
3. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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Notes

Refrigeration and storage notes: Once prepared, refrigerate this dressing. Enjoy within 7 days of preparing. Once chilled, the tahini and oils in the dressing will thicken up. For a thinner consistency, allow it to warm to room temperature. You can run your container of dressing under hot water to bring it back to the original consistency. You could also thin the dressing with a little water, but this will dilute the flavour. Be sure to taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Reducing the tahini: If you dislike the flavour of tahini, you can substitute some of it with vegan mayo. This dressing really doesn’t taste strongly of tahini so I encourage you to try the recipe as is first!

The Chopped Leaf copycat Goddess Dressing: Reduce or omit the fresh herbs in this version.

Allergen notes (gluten-free/nut-free): This recipe can be made gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free tamari in place of soy sauce. It’s also nut free, but does contain sesame seeds (tahini).

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tbsp
• Calories: 84
• Sodium: 130.8 mg
• Fat: 8.1 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 2.7 g
• Protein: 1.6 g

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Today we’re sharing the super easy recipe you'll need to make these spicy, tangy Vegan Buffalo Tofu “Wings”!

We’re using the crispy tofu part of our Garlicky Cashew Tofu & Broccoli recipe. Instead of cubing the tofu, we're cutting it into rectangle blocks. The tofu has a light and crispy fried coating making it ideal for soaking up plenty of Buffalo sauce.

This recipe is so darn easy. The sauce takes less than 5 minutes to make. The crispy tofu is so simple and ready in 15 minutes or less. It'll only take a total of 30 minutes from start to finish, even if you make the homemade Vegan Ranch Dressing as a side.

Buffalo sauce is super easy to make, and just as easy to veganize. All you have to do is switch out the butter for vegan butter and switch the Worcestershire sauce for soy sauce. For an authentic Buffalo flavour, we’re using Frank’s Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce. Mix up the Frank’s with that vegan butter (we used Soy Free Earth Balance) and a couple of other ingredients. Microwave or heat it on your stove top until it begins to bubble and you’re good to go. That’s it!

You can use this vegan Buffalo sauce in SO many ways. You can even use any leftover Buffalo tofu “wings” in a few ways too! We made naan wraps with reheated leftover wings, ranch dressing, and iceberg lettuce. They were SO good. You can make vegan Buffalo ranch burgers too! Cut the tofu into patties instead of rectangles, coat 'em with plenty of Buffalo sauce, and cook them in a skillet.

Make sure to save your leftover Buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. Next week we’ll be using both in a recipe for Double-Stuffed Buffalo Ranch Potatoes!

Vegan Buffalo Tofu “Wings”

• Author: Brittany Mueller
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 18-24 wings
• Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Sauce
• Cuisine: Vegan

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Description

Making these spicy Vegan Buffalo Tofu “Wings” is foolproof! The crispy tofu soaks up plenty of the tangy & spicy Buffalo sauce. Mellow out the heat with homemade Vegan Ranch Dressing. These Vegan Buffalo Tofu "Wings" with ranch are ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Leftovers are great for repurposing in vegan Buffalo Ranch wraps.

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Ingredients

Vegan Buffalo Sauce:

• ⅔ cup  (160ml) Frank’s Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
• ½ cup (125ml) vegan butter (Earth Balance, Vegan Becel, etc.)
• 1 ½ tbsp. (22.5ml) white vinegar
• 1 tsp. (5ml) soy sauce
• ¼ tsp. (1.25ml) cayenne pepper (optional)
• ¼ tsp. (1.25ml) garlic powder

Crispy Tofu:

• 1 block (350g.) extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into rectangles (refer to pictures)
• 2 tbsp. (30ml) cornstarch
• ¼ tsp. (1.25ml) sea salt
• ¼ tsp. (1.25ml) garlic powder
• Vegetable Oil, for frying

Vegan Ranch Dressing, for dipping

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Instructions

Vegan Buffalo Sauce:

1. Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan. Microwave or heat over medium heat until vegan butter melts and the mixture begins to bubble. Stir and set aside.

Crispy Tofu:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine tofu, cornstarch, salt, and garlic powder. Gently mix to coat the tofu evenly and avoid breaking up the tofu.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the coated tofu and fry, stirring often, until the tofu is golden-brown and crispy on all sides.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine crispy tofu with ½ cup of buffalo sauce. Keep stirring until the tofu absorbs all the excess sauce.Optional: Cook the sauce covered tofu “wings” a second time in a clean frying pan to crisp up the coating.
4. Serve with vegan ranch dressing.

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Notes

Buffalo sauce recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com

The post Vegan Spicy Buffalo Tofu "Wings" appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Finally, my recipe for Vegan Ranch Dressing has its own home on the blog! My Vegan Ranch Dressing first appeared on I Love Vegan as a dip/dressing for a crispy potato side dish. Since I'm going to be using it in a couple of upcoming recipes, I figured it was time to post it by itself.

Classic ranch dressing uses buttermilk, mayonnaise, garlic, onion, spices and fresh herbs. We replace buttermilk with unsweetened soymilk and lemon juice in this vegan version. The acid from the lemon juice coagulates the protein in the soymilk. Like dairy milk, soymilk is high in protein, making it the best choice for vegan "buttermilk". Unlike dairy milk, soymilk doesn't contain any sugar, so we need to add a touch for authentic flavour. Vegan mayo (homemade or store-bought) thickens up the "buttermilk" base. Soaking the minced garlic and onion in water for 5 minutes mellows out those sharper flavours. Drain the onion and garlic before mixing them into the base. For herbs, we're using a blend of fresh chopped dill, chives, and parsley. Fresh cracked black pepper and a pinch of paprika make up the spices. A touch of salt brings all these flavours together.

For best taste, make this dressing a day ahead of time to let the flavours marry before serving.

Like any good ranch dressing, this creamy dressing is delicious in so many different ways. Use it in salads, sandwiches, and wraps. Use it as a dip for anything and everything: fresh veggies, pizza/pizza crusts, chips, vegan wings, etc.

In the next few posts you’ll see it served at least 2 ways. First, as an accompaniment for vegan spicy buffalo wings. Second, as a side and an ingredient in buffalo ranch double stuffed potatoes. Get excited, our upcoming recipes are awesome!

Vegan Ranch Dressing

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Brittany Mueller
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 ½ cups
• Category: Sauces and Dips
• Cuisine: Vegan

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Description

This recipe for Vegan Ranch Dressing is ready in 15 minutes or less. Use any way you'd typically use ranch dressing! Serve on salads, with fresh veggies, in sandwiches and wraps, or with spicy vegan buffalo wings. Makes 1 ½ cups.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
• ½ cup unsweetened soy milk (check recipe notes if using “Original”)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 ½ tsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp onion, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• pinch paprika
• pinch garlic powder (optional)
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• pinch salt, to taste

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Instructions

1. In a bowl, add vegan mayo, unsweetened soymilk, lemon juice, and sugar. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before mixing. After 5 minutes you’ll see the acid in the lemon juice coagulating the protein in soymilk. Whisk well to break up any mayo lumps.
2. Soak minced onion and garlic in water for 5 minutes. Drain and add to the mayo/”buttermilk” base.
3. Add remaining herbs, spices, and salt. Whisk until mixed well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. For best flavour, prepare dressing 1 day in advance to let the flavours marry. Taste and adjust seasoning again if necessary.

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Notes

This vegan ranch dressing is perfect made exactly as stated. If you’re looking for thicker, sturdier dip, decrease or omit the unsweetened soymilk and replace with vegan mayo.

If you prefer a sharper flavour, feel free to omit the step soaking the onion and garlic.

Original and unsweetened soymilk are not the same. If you’re using Original soymilk, check the sugar content. Unsweetened contains no sugar. Original Silk soymilk contains 2.5g of sugar for ½ a cup. ½ a cup of buttermilk contains 6g of naturally occurring sugar. 1 teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4g. If you were to use Original Silk soymilk in this recipe you’d want to decrease the added sugar to just over ¾ tsp.

You can substitute the lemon juice with white vinegar if necessary. I prefer the flavour of the lemon juice, but white vinegar will do the job!

The post Vegan Ranch Dressing appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Pakoras are one of my top 3 favourite take-out foods, alongside pizza and french fries. Until now I felt intimidated by the insanely delightful vegetable pakoras from my local Indian restaurant. I assumed I’d be disappointed if I even attempted to recreate them at home.

Out of sheer laziness I’ve sampled a small variety of frozen ready-made pakoras lately. I even had my eye on a 1kg. bag of them at Costco. So far, every variety I’ve tried has been a total letdown. In fact, they were so disappointing that they gave me the courage to try making my own.

Guess what? It turns out that making pakoras is SO easy. It’s nearly foolproof!

These delightful vegan vegetable pakoras are fried to crispy golden-brown perfection and served with a light and creamy cilantro sauce. The pakoras (or pakodas: delicious spiced Indian chickpea fritters), are filled with tender slices of Little Potatoes, onions, spinach, and cilantro. Toasted whole coriander seeds and red chili pepper flakes add bright  pops of flavour and just the right amount of heat. They’re essentially foolproof and take about 35 minutes to make.

All you'll need is:

• dried chickpeas (which you’ll grind into a flour. If it’s available, you can just buy chickpea flour instead.)
• a few vegetables: The Little Potato Company’s Terrific Trio Creamer potatoes, spinach and onion
• bold flavours from whole coriander seeds and fresh cilantro
• a subtle kick of heat from red chili pepper flakes

My first attempt pleasantly surprised me. My pakoras looked and tasted very similar to my favourite local restaurant’s version.

I sliced some Terrific Trio Little Potatoes and a small white onion. Off to the side I fried the coriander seeds and chili pepper flakes. Chopped up a handful of baby spinach and cilantro. Then I made a batter of chickpea flour and water seasoned with turmeric, cumin, lemon juice, and salt. I decided to add some all-purpose flour to give the batter to give it more structure and body (you can omit the flour if you need the pakoras to be gluten-free, they’ll end up a touch more delicately textured once they’re cooked.) I folded the potatoes, onions, spinach, cilantro, and spices into the batter. Then I fried spoonfuls of the pakora batter in hot oil, cooking 2-3 pakoras at a time (I was using a small thick-bottomed sauce pan and about an inch of oil.)

The pakoras ended up looking and tasting a lot like the ones from our usual take-out place. I only needed to make a few minor adjustments to get them just right.

These vegetable chickpea fritters are full protein, fibre and vegetables, so even though they seem like more of a side/appetizer/snack, they make for a satisfying meal too. Enjoy!

This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company.
We love them for their commitment to simple, healthy whole foods like their delicious Creamer potatoes. Thanks for supporting the brands that support I Love Vegan!
Learn more about why we love Little Potatoes at www.littlepotatoes.com

Vegan Vegetable Pakoras

★★★★★ 4.8 from 13 reviews

• Author: Brittany Mueller
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 16-20 pakoras
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: Vegan, Indian

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Description

These pakoras (or pakodas: delicious spiced Indian chickpea fritters) are filled with tender slices of potato, onions, spinach, and cilantro. Toasted whole coriander seeds and red chili pepper flakes add bright pops of flavour and just the right amount of heat. They’re essentially foolproof and take just 35 minutes to make.

We updated this recipe on 9/6/2019 to make it simpler and easier.

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Ingredients

• 170g (¼ of a 1.5lb bag) The Little Potato Company’s Terrific Trio Creamer potatoes, sliced thin
• 1 small white onion, sliced
• 1 handful of spinach, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup (80ml) cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 cup (130g) chickpea (gram or besan) flour (finely ground dried chickpeas)
• ¾ cup (175ml) water
• ⅓ cup (40g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp (10ml) lemon juice
• 1 tsp (5ml) ground turmeric
• 1 tsp (5ml) ground cumin
• 1½ tsp (5m) salt
• ½ tbsp (7.5ml) vegan butter or vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp (15ml) whole coriander seeds
• 2 tsp (10ml) red chili pepper flakes
• Neutral tasting vegetable oil, for frying

Creamy Cilantro Sauce

• 1 handful cilantro
• 1 handful baby spinach
• ⅓ cup (80ml) water
• 2 tbsp (30ml) nutritional yeast
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 ½ tbsp (22.5ml) olive oil
• 1 big pinch salt

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Instructions

1. Heat butter or oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coriander seeds and red chili pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly until the spices are toasted and fragrant. Do not overcook.
2. In a medium sized bowl combine chickpea flour, water, flour, lemon juice, turmeric, cumin, and salt, to make a smooth batter.
3. Gently fold the sliced potatoes, onion, spinach, cilantro, and toasted spices from step 1 into the chickpea batter.
4. In a deep, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat 1” (2 ½ cm) of frying oil over medium-high heat. Allow plenty of time for the oil to get hot (between 325°F to 350°F (160°C to 175°C).
5. Use a large tablespoon to drop loose spoonfuls of the pakora batter into the frying oil. Don’t compress the batter too much when you scoop it. Cook the first side until deeply golden and crispy, flip and cook the other side. Drain cooked pakoras on cooling rack or paper/kitchen towel.
6. Serve with creamy cilantro sauce, chutney, or your favourite dipping sauce.

Creamy Cilantro Sauce

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse on high until well-blended with plenty of green flecks left intact. (This is a thin dipping sauce, decrease water for a thicker sauce.)

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Notes

Be sure to slice potatoes thinly and evenly for thorough cooking.

If using whole chickpeas instead of chickpea flour (gram flour): Grind 2 cups of dried chickpeas into a flour using a high-speed blender or food processor, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed. Sift the flour if you can’t achieve a flour-like texture from grinding alone. Measure out 1 cup of chickpea flour.

Serving: Pakoras are best served with an accompanying dipping sauce. Serve them with our light and creamy cilantro sauce or use your favourite chutney or chili/sweet chili sauce.

Gluten-Free: substitute all-purpose flour for an additional ⅓ cup of chickpea flour.

Add-ins: Cauliflower, carrots, peas, broccoli, and other greens like kale or chard. Be sure to chop slow-cooking vegetables (like carrots/cauliflower/broccoli) appropriately so that everything cooks thoroughly and evenly.

Reheating: For a crisp texture, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and bake leftover pakoras for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Alternatively you can just use your microwave to reheat the pakoras but they won’t be crispy. Freezer-friendly.

Keywords: vegan pakoras, vegetable pakoras

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